A general view over the City of London from the reception of the Shangri-La Hotel at the Shard on May 6, 2014 in London, England. The Shangri La Hotel, the first in Europe, opened up between the 34th and 52nd floor of the Shard today.

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Dan Kitwood
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Getty Images
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The Shard rises above St. Paul’s Cathedral in this April photo. The building was designed by Italian architect Renzo Piano, who also designed the namesake pavilion at the Kimbell Art Museum in Fort Worth.

(
Dan Kitwood
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Getty Images
)

LONDON — There’s much to see in London — St. Paul’s Cathedral, the National Portrait Gallery, Hyde Park, the London Eye — and there’s one place from which you can see nearly all of it: the Shard.

The aptly named 1,004-foot edifice, designed by Renzo Piano, burst from the banks of the Thames in 2012, dwarfing the 40-story egg-shaped “Gherkin” office building. Even on a rainy day, you can see virtually all of London’s landmarks, along with planes descending from eye-level clouds.

The experience is similar to that of Dallas’ Reunion Tower, but about twice as high, with telescopes available at viewing levels 69 (enclosed) and 72 (somewhat open to the air).

The Shard also holds restaurants and a ritzy new Shangri-La hotel (rates start at $760) on floors 34 to 52. It’s been quite the talk of London lately because of the views from its rooms — into other rooms. The mirror effect of all that glass means that at night, some guests can see what others are up to. Management advises that blinds be drawn when privacy is preferable.

The 72nd-floor view is all most of us can afford anyway.

Helen Anders

When you go

Take the tube to London Bridge. Timed tickets to the Shard are $42 for adults, $32 for children at theviewfromtheshard.com.